I decided to take the last few minutes of this day to post a blog.  I have had a wonderful summer of family and child sessions, weddings, engagements and seniors. It is a wonderful time in the photography business in Northeast Florida.

With beach session on my mind 24/7 now, it seems right for me to blog about preparing for a family beach session. I wanted to share a few words of wisdom to help you get ready for a beach session, whether you live at the beach, or are going to the beach and planning to have vacation portraits made while at your destination.  I have been asked to share this information, by my clients, and am finally having the chance to do so.

• The first word of wisdom is  to the ladies. Please make sure you do not put lotion on your legs prior to a beach session, because when you sit in the sand, the sand will stick to your legs and be there for the session’s duration.
• The second word of wisdom concerns faces. Please make sure your face is not covered in glistening lotion or cream of any type. These will cause a shiny face, which is not best for best portrait images.
• If your session is in the warm days of summer, especially in the south, please make sure you throw into a little bag/purse some tissues or coffee filters. These will be for the blotting of your face and those of your children/husband. I carry a limited number of supplies due to my need to move quickly during a shoot, so I am not able to pack enough of these items for large family groups.  Coffee filters do an AMAZING job of blotting the face.
• It is best not to have any valuables in your bag/purse, since you will not be able to have the bag or purse on you at all times, and you may walk away from the bag during the session. (That is a nice way of saying you will definitely be putting down your bag/purse during my sessions and we will walk down the beach, because we do not stay in one place during any one session).
• It takes a little time for children to warm up to the camera and be themselves, and the photographer understands this, and will talk and be silly and sing, or make fun sounds, to help the child relax. Side note: Usually the children who are normally the best in front of the camera (per mom or dad) become the ones that are suddenly shy. I don’t know why, it just seems to work that way.
• This photographer works with children all the time, and is familiar with children of all personality types and moods. Children, like adults, have bad days and good days, and the scheduled session may be on one of their ‘bad’ days. I can usually say something that will change their mood and get them moving in a positive direction—usually something funny or silly, or something about their pet, or favorite food, etc., —or I bring out my handy-dandy rubber chicken that always gets their attention and a pretty good smile. Or, we jump, or dance or whatever it takes for them to have a good time. After all, I want to capture the very best images and whatever it takes is what I do.
• Let the photographer use her creative ideas to capture something unique for your family. My passion, as a photographer, is to be as creative as possible. Oh, we get those traditional family shots, but then we have some fun. I want to take the best images that have ever been taken of you and/or your family while you have the very best time. That is my goal in EVERY session. And, as much as I photograph families, weddings and children, I am always looking for something just a bit more unique in each session.
• Now, for the biggest hint of all during family sessions–Let your photographer guide your children about what to do.  Well-meaning parents/grandparents often call their children’s names and tell them to smile. This causes confusion for the child and a myriad of facial expressions that are not ideal, especially if the parent/grandparent is off to the side and not standing directly behind the photographer. This can be overwhelming to the child and does not create the best condition for the best shots. Also, there are many times when a photographer, especially this one, will not want the child looking at the camera and his/her name may be called just as the photographer is about to click the shutter. Some of the images not looking in the direction of the camera are the absolute best of a session (and are the ones this photographer is after).  It is best to let the children play and be themselves, and when the photographer needs it, she will ask for your help. She wants you to relax and enjoy the session time, too.

Okay—that’s a wrap. There are many other things I could share on this topic, but that will be for another day.

If you are near the Amelia Island vicinity and would like to schedule a beach session or any other type session, please contact me. I would love the opportunity of working with you to capture some creative, unique and special images for you or your family and children, individuals or couples.

I offer gift certificates, so if you would like to gift someone a one-of-a-kind session, please keep me in mind.

My email is pambellphoto@comast.net and my phone number is 904 277 9681. My website is www.pambellphotography.com, and you may contact me from that site, also.  And, you are certainly welcome to visit (and like) me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pambellphotography, where I post images day-to-day.

I appreciate my clients allowing me the privilege of being part of their lives and the lives of their family as we work together to capture some very special memories.

Now, to share a few images from the many family/child sessions I have been privilege to shoot over the last couple of weeks. All of these were photographed on Amelia Island. Some were shot at the Ritz Carlton Amelia,  and some at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation, and some in other places along our beautiful shoreline. Enjoy! And, if you like what you see, please share my blog with others. Thanks, so much!

Blessings…